running programs from user acctount as root

[Mikkel L. Ellertson]

Andreas Bernauer wrote:
> Ashley Pritchard wrote on Sun, Jun 24 2007 at 20:59 (-0700):
>> I dissabled seLinux & thistime refused to
>> download & install any updates to seLinux but yet again I am not able to run
>> the package updater or any other program that requires root access from my
>> user account. I am entering the password correctly & am able to login as
>> root in the terminal but when I type the command 'pup' for the package
>> updater I get the following:
>>     Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
>> Xlib: No protocol specified
> 
> This looks like 'root' is not allowed to connect to the X-server,
> because someone else (the regular user) is using it currently. 
> 
> Logged in as the regular, does 'xhost +localhost' in an xterm resolve
> that problem?
> 
> Alternatively, using 'kdesu pup' may help, but I've never tried it.
> 
> Andreas.
> 
> 
Access to the X server is controlled by a "magic cookie". If you
change to root in an xterm using su or su -, root is given a copy of
this "magic cookie". (There will be a file created in /root called
.xauth<something>.) This gives root access to the X server. If you
log in at the cli, without having changed to root in an x term, root
will not have a copy of the current cookie. Also, this "magic
cookie" is generated each time a user logs in using the gui, or
starts X from the cli. Each X secession has its own "magic cookie".
You can see what file contains the "magic cookie" by running
"echo $XAUTHORITY".


This is a security feature. You can man xauth for more details.

Mikkel
-- 

  Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons,
for thou art crunchy and taste good with Ketchup!

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